Lowdown on Village of Haverstraw’s Sept. 4th Board Meeting

The Village of Haverstraw Trustees met Tuesday evening for a special post-Labor Day meeting to discuss several items and vote on a new law governing landlords collection of rent from illegal housing units.

During the first public comment section of the meeting asked Mayor Michael Kohut was asked for an update regarding the streetscape project for the village. Kohut replied that approval had recently been granted for the funds from the state. The village is hoping to go out to bid for the project in time to break ground for the 2013 construction season.

The trustees then turned their attention to a new rental law under consideration for the village. In March a public hearing was held about a new law, which would bar landlords from seeking back rent on illegal apartments. The law would also define what constitutes evidence of an illegal apartment, such as multiple mailboxes or more than one electric meter.

Landlord operating such apartments would not automatically be prosecuted, but they would be required to come before a judge to defend the status of their unit(s). The new law was passed with one amendment, that multiple television satellite dishes also being evidence for an illegal apartment.

After the vote, Kohut formally thanked Billy King and Son Construction Company for donating their time putting up the new Haverstraw Village sign. According the Kohut the project is nearly finished. All that is needed are a few more signs for businesses, some lights, and a bit of landscaping. The electrician and landscaping company will both be donating their time to finish project.

The board voted to go out to bid for street paving for this year. Several streets are slated for possible repaving this year. However which streets actually get paved will depend on how the bids come back. The date for the bids to be in to the village is September 12 by 11 a.m.

United Water will be replacing water mains in the village this year on several streets: Anness from Westside Ave to Coyne Drive, Santiago Ave from Route 9W to number 7 Santiago Ave, the entire length of Sharp Street, Gurnee Ave from the West Side Ave to Route 9W, and George Street from Pratt street to the rear of the fire house.

With the new village ordinance concerning these types of constructions, United Water will be responsible for repaving the street following the installation of the new water mains.

Mayor Kohut reminded the attendees about several upcoming events in the village such as the dedication of the Landslide Memorial at Bowline Park on Saturday September 8 and the Street Fair coming up on Sunday September 23.

During the second public comments section, one resident expressed his concern for the village’s website saying other towns and villages in the Hudson Valley had nicer websites. He suggested that the village might be able to attract more tourism if the website were improved.

The issue of the website is something that the board has been considering for some time, said Kohut. The village will likely go out to bid for a web designer in the near future to build a new website for the village.

The next meeting of the village trustees will be Monday September 17 at 8 p.m.